afrol News, 9 March - Kumba Yala, the former President of Guinea-Bissau that was overthrown last September, has been freed from his house arrest. He immediately declared his intention of returning to politics and participating in the 28 March legislative elections, meeting resistance from today's rulers in Bissau.

Mr Yala yesterday was released from house arrest, were he has spent the last half year. The country's democratically elected President was toppled by the armed troops of Guinea-Bissau on 14 September last year, following years of political instability and increasing government inability to rule the country.

A very unpopular man when he was ousted from power, Mr Yala now nevertheless feels the time is right for him to return to Bissauan politics. He today told the Portuguese state broadcaster RDP África that he now was set to return to national politics "like an atomic bomb."

In September, however, when Mr Yala was defined to house arrest, he had agreed to sign a document saying he was stepping down from the Presidency and he would not participate actively in Bissauan politics during the next five years.

The validity of this document today was emphasised by several leading politicians in Guinea-Bissau. Carlos Gomes Júnior of the PAIGC party - which ruled the country between 1973 and 1999 - said that Mr Yala's declaration of September was part of the transitional programme to re-establish democracy and stability in the country.

The PAIGC leader is one leading members of the National Transition Council, which was given powers to rule the country by the military forces. The Council includes members of most Bissauan parties and is dominated by civil society. The Council is preparing the 28 March legislative elections and later presidential and local government polls. Council members were not delighted by Mr Yala's announcement.

Ex-President Yala's Social Renovation Party (PRS), which became the largest party at the 1999 elections, holds central posts in the transitional government. Current PRS Secretary-General, Artur Sanha, is now Guinea-Bissau's transitional Prime Minister and only second to the independent interim President, Henrique Perreira Rosa.

While Mr Yala says he wants to be involved in the election campaign of the PRS, which started this weekend, party leader Sanha may find this a troublesome offer to receive. Mr Sanha's leadership of the party is however already strained due to his leading position in the transitional government.

While the country's leading politicians and many Biassaun citizens expressed concern over the possible instability following Mr Yala's announcement, the ex-President himself emphasised he would play by the rules. He told the press in Bissau that he wanted to forget the past and make a new beginning.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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